Birks 135th anniversary gala , Toronto
Clients and well-wishers from across the country assembled at Toronto’s Shangri-La hotel on Sept. 27 for a gala to celebrate the 135th anniversary of Maison Birks, the iconic Canadian jeweller started by Henry Birks in 1879 with a small shop on St. James Street in the heart of Montreal. The event, presided over by Jean-Christophe Bédos, president and CEO of Birks Group Inc., also introduced the brand’s latest charitable initiative. “One in every three bites of food depends on bees,” Bédos told guests as he unveiled Birks for Bees, a new collection of bee-themed baubles. Proceeds from sales of the items will go toward supporting the work of the University of Guelph’s Honey Bee Research Centre, which is charged with stemming the threatened extinction of the species. Among those in attendance were a leopard-print-wearing Jessica Mulroney and her TV-personality husband Ben, magazine editor Bernadette Morra, Paul and Tracey Neziol, Jimmy Molloy and The Cashmere Shop owner Alyson Currie.
Norbert Brinkhaus and Kim Brinkhaus. Photos by Sam Santos courtesy of Maison Birks
From left, Ben Mulroney, Jean-Christophe Bédos and Jessica Mulroney.
Lucia Graca and Jeffrey Remedios of the Arts and Crafts record label.
Laughter is the Best Medicine gala, Toronto
A little farther downtown, Toronto East General Hospital hosted its second Laughter Is the Best Medicine comedy gala in support of the hospital’s $360-million revitalization project, which includes the new Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre. Some 1,400 guests including the Thomsons, Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, gala chair Michael Geddes, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, academic Richard Florida and his wife Rana and stylish duo Kim and Joe Mimran were treated to a lineup of celebrity funny men including returning emcee and Toronto native Will Arnett (he was master of ceremonies back in 2012, when Jerry Seinfeld took to the stage for the inaugural event). Opening act Mario Joyner warmed up the audience inside the Allstream Centre ahead of multi-Emmyand– Grammy-Award winner Chris Rock, who had gala-goers in stitches for over an hour. “The $2.5-million raised at this gala was significant,” said Michael Burns, chairman of the hospital’s Foundation Board. “It helped us close out the ambitious $60-million private-sector campaign we started five years ago.”
From left, gala chair Michael Geddes, Michael Burns, master of ceremonies Will Arnett and opening act Mario Joyner. Photos courtesy of Toronto East General Hospital
Event benefactors Gareth Seltzer and Monique Seltzer.
Peter and Diana Thomson.
Gift of Time Gala, Vancouver
The ballroom at Vancouver’s Westin Bayshore Hotel was the site of the 10th Annual Gift of Time Gala in support of Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, the pediatric palliative-care provider established in 1995; it is the oldest free-standing children’s hospice in North America. A bevy of auction items including an exclusive dining experience with Indianfood maestro and Dragon’s Den judge Vikram Vij and chef David Hawksworth of Hawksworth Restaurant helped raise $1-million for the cause. Among the guests were Vancouver Canucks president Trevor Linden (who helped found the hospice back in the nineties) and his wife Cristina; Paul Dunstan (president of the Plenary Group North America) and his wife Kate, who is one of the 325 volunteers at Canuck Place, were also on hand. All of the guests went home with keepsake leather bracelets created by Weaver Distribution and engraved with the motto of Canuck Place families: “This is the now. The moment you are in. Live it well with a loving heart. Savour life.”
From left, Lynn Colliar of Global TV, Bridgitte Anderson of public-relations firm Edelman, Global National weekend anchor Robin Gill and CTV News Vancouver anchor Coleen Christie. Photos by Jeff Vinnick
Vancouver Canucks president Trevor Linden and his wife, Cristina.
Canuck Place CEO Margaret McNeil with board chair John Nicola, founder and CEO of Nicola Wealth Management.
Plenary Group North America president Paul Dunstan and his wife, Kate.